Texas Chrome in great shape after Super Derby victory

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Texas Chrome was “full of himself” on Sunday, said trainer J.R. Caldwell the morning after the horse ran the biggest race of his career in the Grade 3, $400,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.

“He’s fantastic,” Caldwell said. “He looked great, was full of himself, proud of himself, and ready to get on home.”

Texas Chrome left the Louisiana Downs backstretch early Sunday, bound for his base of Remington Park. His next race is scheduled at home in the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Sept. 25, Caldwell said.

The Super Derby was the sixth career stakes win for Texas Chrome, and for his effort he earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 96. He stalked the pace, came between rivals on the final turn, and dueled with Dalmore to the late stages for a half-length win under jockey C.J. McMahon. It was another three-quarters of a length back to Whateverybodywants in third.

“All three horses ran a great race,” Caldwell said. “It was his day. His trip. His fight to win.”

The Oklahoma Derby is Sept. 25, and Caldwell will approach Texas Chrome’s training a little differently than he did up to the Super Derby, when the horse had nearly five weeks from his win in the Prelude at Louisiana Downs to the main event Saturday.

“He’s dead fit,” Caldwell said. “Talking to C.J., he galloped out really strong [Saturday]. We’ll keep him healthy and happy the next couple of weeks and hope he fires a good one.”

Caldwell said Texas Chrome also will have the benefit of running out of his stall for the first time in a while. He noted the horse shipped from his summer base of Lone Star Park in Texas to Churchill Downs for the Grade 3 Matt Winn, a race in which he finished third to Gun Runner. Caldwell said two weeks later, Texas Chrome was back on the road, going from Lone Star to Prairie Meadows, where he ran second to American Freedom in the Grade 3 Iowa Derby.

“Now, we can lead out of our barn and don’t have to haul,” Caldwell said.

The Super Derby was the first graded stakes win for Caldwell and owner Danny Keene. They will attempt to keep that train rolling on Saturday at Churchill Downs, where Bling On the Music is set to chase after her third straight stakes win in the Grade 2, $200,000 Pocahontas.

The Super Derby was the centerpiece of the meet, and it anchored a card of five stakes that were worth a cumulative $700,000.

Dalmore came out of the Super Derby in good order, according to trainer Keith Desormeaux. He said the horse was scheduled to ship later on Sunday to Kentucky, then from there return to his Southern California base on Tuesday.

"We couldn't get a flight out of Shreveport," Desormeaux said.

Desormeaux said the next start is yet to be decided for Dalmore, who in July won Grade 3 Affirmed at Santa Anita.

Mo Tom was the Super Derby favorite off a commanding win in the Ohio Derby, but he finished fifth Saturday. Trainer Tom Amoss said several hours after the race that the horse was in good order and that plans are to be determined for Mo Tom.

“Physically, he’s fine,” Amoss said. “The race was a big disappointment. We didn't get much of a pace setup. We’ll get him back to Kentucky and make some decisions from there.”

Mo Tom won the Grade 3 Lecomte earlier this year at Fair Grounds. He shipped in for the Super Derby from his base of Churchill Downs.

The undercard stakes Saturday included the $75,000 Unbridled, which Allied Air Raid won in his turf debut; he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 97. Trainer Brad Cox said plans are to be determined what's next for the horse, but that he likely will make his next start on the grass. Cox also won the $75,000 Sunday Silence with Royal By Nature, who earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 67. Cox said the horse is now a candidate for the Grade 3, $250,000 Bourbon on Oct. 9 at Keeneland.

Other stakes winners with Beyers were Artistic License, who earned an 84 after winning her sixth straight race in the $75,000 River Cites, and Majestic Gale, who captured the $75,000 Happy Ticket for 2-year-old fillies on turf with a 67.